Main menu

Sub menu

Wagner Pushes Changes to Irvine City Charter to Silence Public , Aid Developers

Irvine mayor Don Wagner often likes to tout his conservative credentials, yet a new change he is proposing to the Irvine Cit Charter would effectivey silence “special interest groups” from using referendums to change policy while giving a green light to developers — who fund the council majority campaigns.

Here’s language from Wagner’s memo to the city council obtained by TheLiberalOC:

*The second City Charter Amendment would restrict special interest groups from manipulating the electorate to impose additional requirements on approved development projects that provide the City with specified fiscal benefits.*

The green light would be for developements that offer 15% ROI on costs, but once done, there’s no provision for punishment if the project loses money or comes in uner 15%. Aditionally, who defines “special interest groups.” Would the OC Veteran’s Cementery and Memorial Park group be a special interest group? The description fits.

This change is squarely targeted at the Irvine slow growth initiative an is aimd at raising money — from developers with deep pockets — for campaigns against Karen Jaffe’s referendum (which has yet to qualify for the ballot) and to raise money to preserve the developer’s investment in the council majority’s land swap decision.

This isn’t freedom that Wagner so often preaches. This is an affront ot small “d” democracy.

The PDF of what Wagner proposes won’t load for me, but one chnage he wants makes it harder to raise taxes (what a surprise). The other harms the public while benefiting developers. The council majority has no shame.

Post navigation

7 comments for “Wagner Pushes Changes to Irvine City Charter to Silence Public , Aid Developers”

Irvine Freedom Coalition

February 23, 2018 at 3:37 am

When you are elected to office you are supposed to represent all of the people not just those that paid for your mailers. I am tired of these politicians that love freedom except for those that oppose their policies, voice their opinions or gather signatures in order to be heard. #TimesupIrvine and Don Wagner because people are tired locally and nationally by large money operators taking over our public institutions for their own gain. I am and others are tired of politicians that go out and let special interests with very deep pockets spend money on mailers to besmirch people’s character of those that actually listen to their constituents so they can get elected to do the dirty bidding for them, the developers and those that represent them, because they are always there in the audience, a large man from Starman or Starpoint, something to that effect, and ready to pounce against any person that has an opposite opinion. Let freedom reign and let people continue their right to address what you get so wrong Don and those on the City Council that agree with him.

This vote eliminates the opportunity for the voter to even voice an opinion on any development. Council will provide a financial gain to every project and thus eliminate the voter’s voice completely from every vote. There are plenty of other aspects to a project beyond the fiscal benefit to the city. I don’t want my right to be taken away. Do you really trust our City Council that much???!!! They are all on the take!